Thursday, October 30, 2008

Inside the Beltway

It's a tense time in D.C. this month. If you guys are starting to get tired of the election commercials, you can't imagine the feelings of we residents of the Nation's Capital.

My husband's Catholic men's group had a verbal fist fight during each of the last three meetings. Our Newcomers Carmelite group had a tense exchange between the novices (all McCain supporters) and our group leader (an Obama supporter).

There is a time for standing up strong for pro-life (as in our Carmelite group), but much more often there is a need for fasting and prayer. There is always a great need for charity.

If you are feeling frustrated with fellow Catholics "who just don't get it" during this election, please take a moment to reread my "How I became Pro-Life" essay. I was once a good Christian girl who didn't get it. Sin clouds your conscience. All the beautiful photography of fetal development won't do much if your not truly introduced to the author who "knit you in the womb."

So please, pray. And have great hope.

During one of our last mothers rosary group sessions the Virginian women were looking a bit depressed. My friend Susan grabbed my shoulders and said "Have Hope. Look at us. Last election, Abby & I were some of the lost ones in the Democratic camp. Now were here!"

In 2000, I pulled the lever for RALPH NADER. In 2004, I abstained from voting for President after becoming outraged at the last moment that John Kerry adopted the "pro-embryonic stem cell research" position. In 2007, I changed my voter registration for the first time to vote for Mike Huckabee. This year I get to vote for McCain & Palin.

Anything is possible. Let us keep praying. Let us keep offering sacrifices. Let us keep building up the kingdom of God, one brick at a time in our domestic churches.

One day we'll all settle happily under Christ's wings like a mother hen. I'll be surprised to find out who prayed hard for my conversion!

What is a Third Order Carmelite?

A Third Order Discalced Carmelite is a person who responds to an invitation from God to live a life of contemplative prayer within the modern world.

Prayer to Saint Teresa of Avila

Teach us to pray with you with all our hearts:

"I am yours Lord.

I was born for you.

What do you want of me?"

My No Comment Policy

I love silence. I love calmness. I like to avoid all inter-comment box drama. If one of my posts touched your heart, I'm happy to respond to you in an one-on-one manner. I answer all emails sent to abigail.b.benjamin@gmail.com.